What bothers me muchly is when people take fairly constructive criticism and make it out to be a flame against them. Ok, so *what* if someone said "it needs more fitting", or "____ fabric would be more suitable / this fabric choice looks cheap", or "your armor is lumpy, try sanding". Jeesus, by the way some people react you'd think you had kicked their dog and called their mom a whore. Not everyone who says such things deserves a long string of explicatives and deragatory names. :\ Unless the comment is obviously meant in a harsh manner ("You're fat!" ,"You're ugly!", "Your costume sucks!", etc), the person on the other end is just sharing their OPINION (note that I said opinion, not fact) or trying to offer up advice. I'm going to school for costuming, and I know I would still be making some pretty shotty stuff if it wasn't for the advice from others.

AMEN. "Your costume needs work" does not = "You're ugly and I think you should die". :P People need to get over themselves.

Woo, I've got a list long of these. The cosplay community is far from perfect.

- Cosplayers who think they 'own' a character and bash anyone else who dares cosplay the same character as them.

- People who do nothing but badmouth cosplayers during the Masq, especially if they're not even cosplayers themselves. I sat in front of a group of guys at A-Kon who did this. This is not MST3k and you're not as witty as you think you are. Plus, it takes guts to get up on that stage in front of an entire con and I respect anyone who does it.

- People who glomp without warning. If someone asks for a hug, I'm happy to give one, but was almost knocked off my feet by a running glomp into my side. You know, I'd probably LET someone do that if they'd just ask first, but glomping without warning is just rude.

- People who take your picture without telling you. Let me pose or something, it'll look much better! I never fail to look horrible in unposed pictures. And, at least when I'm posing, I'm prepared for the flash blindness afterwards. Surprise flash = worst surprise ever.

- Great costumes with bad wigs. A good wig can make an average costume look spectacular, invest in one!

- Satin and broadcloth. Yes, both can be made into fabulous garments, but it doesn't happen very often.

- Anime cosplayers looking down on sci-fi or fantasy cosplayers at conventions. We're all dorks in costume, why does it matter where the costume came from? Besides, sci-fi cons have been around a lot longer than anime cons. I'm sure before there were anime cons, people cosplayed anime characters at sci-fi cons. Who cares?

Sadly, I am guilty of bashing a few cosplayers...but usually only when they had the "I'm better than you, nya-ha." thing going on. When they aren't. It annoys me to no end when people have that mentality when their costumes are no better than mine or worse. So it's an automatic Aries habit to knock their happy butts down a peg and I have to mention what could be improved.

I'm sorry, but I slightly agree with the fat cosplayer thing. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying fat people shouldn't cosplay...but seriously there are some costumes that should be steered away from, if not for others; then out of respect for yourself. I was afraid of wearing a crop top when I first started cosplaying, so I got myself in shape and I only weighed like 130 at the time. Seeing obsesely huge people cosplaying as Gunner Yuna or Paine or Rikku...it's just...frightening. Most over-weight people I know who dress like that normally...they're what you'd call "loose" with themselves. No self-respect whatsoever. *waits to be roasted there*

If you want to cosplay the character fine, but at least take into consideration what you'd look like in the costume. I use cosplay as a reason to stay in shape, and several other people I know are using it as a reason to lose weight and get in shape. It's a matter of respect for yourself.

Sexy-no-jutsu/skanky costumes. I have seen a lot of good ones of these myself, but I'm seeing more and more of people making "Sexy no Jutsu Sakura" or Ino or Hinata...and it makes ya stop because...Sexy no Jutsu worked for Naruto because he was MALE. The girls don't need SnJ because they're women. It's not an excuse to make a slutty version of the character. Same with making "Gunner" versions of any of the Final Fantasy girls not in X-2. Also, underaged girls shouldn't be allowed to wear that stuff. Parents what are you thinking letting your 12 year old girl run around as Faye Valentine?

I don't like it when people make these really elaborate costumes and then ruin it by not getting a wig. Even a cheap wig is better than none at all. Like someone who makes one of Arwen's or Eowyn's dresses in Lord of the Rings, and make it out of close to the right materials, spends a lot of money on these materials...and then wears the outfit but they don't have the blonde hair for Eowyn or the dark hair for Arwen. When I did my Eowyn I went to Party City and got myself a wig for 10 bucks. Albiet it's not a good wig, but it's better than using my own hair. Hair is an important part of cosplay too.

I don't like unexpected glomps. Especially when I've got a big weapon. I'm generally like hugs but I've knocked quite a few innocent bystanders with my Shakujou when I wasn't prepared for a flying glomp. And then gotten blamed for it. One of the few times I saw one coming I actually side-stepped out of the way and the glomper ran into the wall. If you can't stop yourself when someone moves, you may need to slow down just a wee bit, I don't want to get whiplash because of a hug.

I think the reason so many people use satin for costumes is that it gives it an unrealistic, animated look. Sure the screen doesn't "shine", but there are plenty of times when anime characters have sparkles around them. Maybe the cosplayers who make most costumes out of satin just like that look because it draws attention and makes them look less REALISTIC. Personally, I wish that I could afford some nice satin for my Sailor "Soviet" costume. I'm using spandex with a satin skirt.

Also, wigs... my best friend who shows up in about half of my pictures has OCD and has problems wearing wigs. I'm really getting tired of people coming up to us and saying things like, "It would be a nice costume if he only had a wig," and other things like that. He does it for the masquerade, but he just can't wear them for very long because he starts worrying about if his hair is showing and then he gets annoyed that there is something on his head which leads to his not having a good con experience. Before you tell a person what peeves you about his costume, find out WHY the costume is the way it is.

Ah yes. *adds* Unexpected glomps. I'm a walking accident on my own, so at any given point in time, I'm probably injured in some way/shape/form (like right now, I can't move my neck because I took a bad fall horseback riding and landed head-first, thereby smashing my hemlet wide open). But anyway, back to my point. If I were to be glomped right now, I'd seriously end up in the hospital again. You may never know that the 'victim' of your glomp can have some sort of injury/paralysis/whatever that can bring about pain if you glomp them.

... never smile, don't pose for photos, and just have a huge dark cloud around their head the whole time. ! ><;

I feel guilty becasue I did that at last yeah at anime boston. But it was only becasue it was my first really big Convention and im not used to peopole being so nice to me. ....and i dont smile well...espically on Cue. ( and im wokring on the poseing thing)

I meant more along the lines of groaning and complaining when asked or just being rude about it. It happened recently with a cosplayer who had a flawless cosplay of one of my favourite characters and when I asked if I could give her a hug she groaned and walked away. A simple, 'No sorry, I don't do hugs' would've been fine. Instead I felt like I was a pain.

god.....u asked politely and she just walked away? i'm guessing she encountered lotz of unwanted glomping and groping.

I encounter a wolfwood at my 1st a-kon back in 2003. I stopped him, and asked him, "could take your picture please?" and he rolled his eyes and said, "oh, alright." but he didn't look happy about about it @_@.

ummm... ok... your cosplaying as a popular character at an anime convention...and thats the way you act towards a fan who ASKS for a picture? did he not want his picture taken? thenhe shouldn't have copsplayed!!

I feel guilty becasue I did that at last yeah at anime boston. But it was only becasue it was my first really big Convention and im not used to peopole being so nice to me. ....and i dont smile well...espically on Cue. ( and im wokring on the poseing thing)

I also did that ( sort of ). I wasn't use to all the attention and MAN did I feel like I was surrounded by cameras and I did not know what to do. But, I just smiled and posed. Though, I do need to work on my posing skills. ><;; I'm not good with that, but I know how you feel.

satin is EVIL in some costumes. Esp. when the character doesn't seem to even HAVE satin ANYWHERE on them. Satin Vash? NO!!! Satin Spike? NO!!! Seen 'em both...*shudders*

The flying, glomping fangirls made my first con expierence scary! I didn't cosplay and i almost never did when i saw this girl go a b-ball court length away then run at this smaller human being and jump on her o.O let's just say it wasn't pretty...

to get BACK on topic: yes...the notorious satin issue seems like one of the numerous peeves that will never get solved. As long as people start catching on to this hobby...whatever was resolved will surface again since most people think that's what being a cosplayer consists of (the glomping...the sign carrying...the 'what-character-do-i-look-like')

my pet peeve would have to be those people that view cosplay as nothing but a competition...always comparing people's costumes in and out of the actual masquerades and craftsmenship...and those whose sole purpose is 'to be the best'. It's not like any of us are getting paid for this...it's a hobby. And i personally don't think that because someones costume didn't cost 200+ that it should be looked at as ugly or stupid or compared to someone elses costume PERIOD

also hate the fact that ethinicity is still a big debate and people want cosplayers to look like the character. I am african-american so it hits deeply when my friends and i work hard on costumes only to be overlooked.

Yea I agree. Being overlooked cause of ethnicity sucks. Hopefully judges will care more bout the craft than the color of our skins.

hmmm I don't like the glompers. too close for comfort for me. I'm all in for competition. It's alright to want to have your efforts awarded. Just have good sportsmenship if that hinoto beats ya.

ooc: you should come to momo-con if u love kenshin so much. My group'll probably have two kenshins(OVA and Rurouni), kaoru, megumi, and I'll be sano!

I'm also not a fan of the "More Holy Than Thou" cosplayers. I mean...come on..get over yourself. Not all of us are amazing at sewing or can afford all of that.

It also really annoys me that when I mention that I sew costumes, I get like three friends whining about how I should make them costumes...for free. I <3 my friends and all, but I'm not going to pay for all the supplies and the free time. I mean, come on, be realistic...And when I say I'm in the process of making two costumes, don't say, "But that's only two!" Two is a lot for a beginner, okay!?

And finally, glomping just freaks me out. Sure I'll give you a hug if you ask, but if you tackle me to the ground and put your face inches from mine, chances are I'm not going to be very happy!! I'm quite petite, so there's no way I'm letting people jump on me for no reason. o.o I'm sorry.

Oh, and fangirls...Don't flirt with my boyfriend!! Pictures, fine. Hugs, fine. But when I'm standing right there and you're asking him if our relationship is happy and glaring at me simultaneously...grrr!

I hear you on the friends asking for free costumes... except it's my sister. I made an agreement with her that I would make her some costumes if she posed for pictures for my website (simple, right?). But when I asked her to do the pictures, she threw a terrible fit and told me that she HATES getting her picture taken, etc, etc. Needless to say, I haven't made her a costume since.

Honestly, I don't mind glomping... as long as I'm asked or it's not too hard. I had a girl rip my costume once, but I didn't get angry with her because she was pretty young. I just smiled and told her that I could fix it later (thankfully it was on the seam).

1) Personal insults. I can take criticism directed at my costume, hell I welcome it if it's helpful but making personal comments is just....below the belt. I've had friends who've been reduced to tears by comments from other cosplayers and refused to cosplay ever again.

2) People looking at you like you're a nutcase if you want their picture. Had this happen to me a few times when people have just stared at me when I asked to take a photo of them- I mean surely that's one of the more enjoyable aspects of cosplay?

3) Touching the costume or props without permission. At one convention I had a girl grab my Rogue wig off of my head, pulling loose the pins securing it and leaving me standing there in my wigcap completely shocked. 'I just wanted to try it on' is no reason for taking something without asking. I've had this happen with other props as well people taking them to look at then breaking them or simply running off with them.

Glomping is something I've never had a problem with, I've never even seen it happen at an English con actually!